Millis School Committee adopts 'Policy D' to formalize financial procedures

The Millis School Committee on July 21 voted to adopt Policy Section D, a package of finance-related policies that formalize the district’s budgeting, purchasing and reporting procedures. The motion to adopt the policy package was moved by Miss Briggs and seconded by Mister Underhill; the committee voted in favor and the motion carried.

Superintendent Bob Malaney, who presented the policy package on behalf of the subcommittee, said the rewrite “deals with the financial responsibilities of the school committee and the superintendent” and fills gaps between current practice and the policy book. He told the committee the revisions largely document practices the district already follows while adding clarifications on budget planning, purchase approvals and auditing processes.

Key elements include DB/D B C/D B D sections that set out the budget process and calendar, DBG language that describes adoption procedures, and BBJ-style guidance for quarterly reporting of inter-line budget transfers so the committee can track moves that do not change the budget bottom line. The DJE section restates bidding thresholds for schools; Malaney said “for public schools, anything over $50,000 needs to go out to bid,” and recommended including numeric thresholds in policy to avoid confusion.

The policy bundle also includes a DGA provision enabling the committee to designate a single member to sign warrants; the provision allows electronic signatures recognized under state law. Malaney described an electronic-signature workflow tied to the district’s Google Suite so that warrants and invoices can be circulated for review and the designated signer can sign off remotely.

The committee adopted the full Section D package during the meeting; details for implementing the single-signer designation (naming the designee) were discussed as a future action-item.